HOUSTON — Oct. 13, 2015 — Three attorneys with Trichter & Murphy PC were selected to appear on the 2015 edition of Texas Super Lawyers as leading criminal defense attorneys in Texas. Of all the attorneys in Texas, only 5 percent are chosen for the annual list.

“It is an honor that more than half of our firm has been named to the annual Super Lawyers list,” said J. Gary Trichter, founder and partner, Trichter & Murphy. “This accolade speaks volumes of the types of criminal defense attorneys we have working to protect the rights of our clients. We take the representation of our clients seriously and consider it the most important part in our American judicial system.”

Gary Trichter is one of only four DWI specialist criminal defense attorneys in Texas, having been board-certified DWI/DUI by the National College for DUI Defense. Besides being listed in the annual Super Lawyers list 12 years straight since 2004, Gary has also been listed seven times in Best Lawyers, the oldest and most-respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. He is known as the most successful DWI trial and appellate lawyer in the United States, and is rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell. Gary has argued groundbreaking DWI cases and co-authored the DWI textbook “Texas Drunk Driving Law.” He has also spoken at more than 260 legal seminars in 30 states, where he has taught lawyers, judges and prosecutors about various aspects of the law — particularly DWI.

Doug Murphy, partner and principal of Trichter & Murphy PC, has been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list seven years straight since 2009. He is recognized as one of the foremost DWI lawyers in the country and is one of only four DWI specialists in Texas who have been board-certified DWI/DUI by the National College for DUI Defense. He was appointed regent of the NCDD in 2009 and has served as co-chair of the DWI Committee and on the board of directors with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Doug is board-certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and currently serves on the board of directors for the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.

Leslie LeGrand has been a recognized Rising Star of DWI Defense Attorneys by Super Lawyers since 2011 and is enjoying his first listing as a bona fide Super Lawyer. He is board-certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has lectured at numerous DWI seminars. Leslie is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas DWI Lawyer and the Houston Criminal Lawyers Association. Before joining Trichter & Murphy PC as a Houston DWI lawyer, Leslie was assistant district attorney, felony prosecutor, Harris County.

Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers across the country for its annual list of top attorneys. Each candidate is measured against 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Nominees from more than 70 practice areas are considered. The selection process is rigorous and methodical.

While the best outcome in a DWI case is a not guilty, you need to know that a DWI arrest record never goes away, unless you request an expunction of your record. An expunction allows the State of Texas to erase all the related DWI records to your case that were generated by the arrest. It’s like a legal time machine that brings your records back to the time before you were arrested making sure they are permanently and completely removed.

How many records? Let’s say a police officer in the City of Houston arrests you, the City will have a record that they will file with the Police Department. The Sheriff’s Office will have one when you are jailed and the Clerk’s office will have one when your case is filed. The District Attorney’s Office will have another record when they prosecute your case and, finally, the Texas Department of Public Safety will have one in relation to your driver’s license and criminal history.

So if a future employer conducts a background search, those records can be discovered and cause you a great deal of embarrassment or, worse, a lost job opportunity. A criminal defense attorney who is a DWI Specialist knows how to correctly and thoroughly file for an expunction and bring your criminal history back to where it was before your arrest.

One of the many benefits of having a criminal defense attorney who is a DWI specialist is their level of preparedness. They prepare by analyzing the different aspects of a DWI case long before the client walks in the door. They also prepare by applying their acute understanding of the science of how alcohol affects the body—not just in general, but how it affects people INDIVIDUALLY, because alcohol’s effect on an individual is as unique as a fingerprint.

A Library of Knowledge

Defense attorneys who are DWI specialists understand anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology, and we have libraries of research, case studies and experience that we’ve amassed over time. This includes research on specific officers—including local police, sheriff’s deputies, county constables and state troopers—that indicates which officers are good or bad.

Police Records

At Trichter & Murphy, we do our own background checks on officers using the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Records Act. We’ll request information on an arresting officer and gain a keen understanding of what kind of official he or she is. In most cases we’re gratified to know when an officer is a good officer, but sometimes we are saddened to find that there are bad officers enforcing our laws.

For instance, we know of one trooper with our Texas Department of Public Safety who has been recommended by his peers to be terminated twice for dishonesty. We know this because we accessed his records.

Being Prepared is Our Job

A DWI specialist combines knowledge of science with effective criminal defense acumen and skills to turn over every rock until he or she finds something that may make the difference in the ability to mount a proper defense. If an attorney isn’t willing to do that job, then they shouldn’t be doing legal work to help people. For us, it’s a matter of routine—we do it because it’s our job.

Administrative License Revocation hearing or ALR is a separate case that arises out of a DWI prosecution. Most people arrested for DWIs are surprised to learn that they have not one, but two cases after their arrest: one, a criminal case against you (DWI), and the second (ALR) is a hearing against your license.

The Purpose of the ALR Hearing

The hearing is based upon failing the breath or blood test or refusing to take them when asked, but it gives you the opportunity to contest the seizure or suspension of your license. If you take advantage of the ALR hearing, quite often you won’t lose your license. Keep in mind, you have only 15 days to request your hearing with the state after you have been arrested, otherwise your license will go into automatic suspension.

What the ALR Hearing Does

By requesting an ALR hearing, you force the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to prove its case against you. The DPS must prove that the police officer who stopped and arrested you did so with either reasonable suspicion or probable cause. If they cannot prove either, you win by default.

What Happens If the ALR Hearing Does Not Go in Your Favor?

You can receive a 180 day suspension if you decline to take a test upon proper request, or, if you fail a breath or blood test, you can receive a 90-day suspension of your driving privileges. A Houston attorney who is a DWI specialist can help you navigate through this complex, often times confusing process.

America offers a lot of all-in-one alternatives. Think about doctors. General practitioners listen attentively to health complaints, but don’t have deep experience in one particular area. That’s where they often refer you to a specialist. DWI defense is very similar.

If you are ever arrested for DWI in Houston, consider the benefits of having a Houston DWI specialist who has specific, trained knowledge about more than just the law. DWI arrests involve not only the standards of the Texas Department of Public Safety, they also involve your specific anatomy combined with the laws of biology, chemistry and physics.

A DWI specialist understands how alcohol interacts with your respiratory and cardio vascular systems, and how this interaction can affect your blood alcohol and breath tests.

Before you walk in the door, check to make sure your DWI specialist has an effective library of knowledge, trial exhibits and the research skills to evaluate all factors involved in your situation – including background profiles of law enforcement officers, their conduct and public arrests.

A DWI specialist should use all of these skills to examine and investigate every detail related to your case, because that is what you hire them to do. You need more than all-in-one representation, you need a skilled DWI specialist to provide you with everything they’ve got to make a difference in your situation.

The attorneys at Trichter & LeGrand aggressively fight for clients in Houston, Texas as well as throughout communities located in Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, League City, Conroe, Pearland, Texas City, Friendswood, Richmond, Katy, Bandera, Kerrville and Angleton as well as all of Texas including Harris County, Montgomery County, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Travis County, Austin County and Webster County.